inside of the vest.
“I know this is not the optimal situation, but you have to trust me, Kalin. You need to come with me.”
Even fighting drowsiness, she still wanted to resist leaving. “To go where?”
She felt his frustration again before he shook his head. “North.”
“Why north?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know, but staying here makes us sitting ducks.”
“I guess I can’t argue with that.” She tipped the soda can up and drained it. The sugar and caffeine were beginning to be absorbed into her system. But she froze with her hands on the backpack. She was about to step past the point of no return. She heard his soft footsteps just a moment before he cupped her chin.
The contact was jarring. So hot, yet so comforting. A shiver raced down her back as their gazes locked. She felt him again, deep inside her mind. It was the purest form of intimacy, something she’d never realized she longed for. The sensation put her on edge, yet it also gave her a sense of security that was unmatched by any other experience in her life.
“I don’t know who I am, but I know what I am.” He stroked her cheek gently, soothingly. “I’ll get you out of here.”
Confidence rose off of him like a thick vapor. It was intoxicating, drawing her closer to him. He narrowed his eyes, flattening his hand on the side of her face.
He was thinking about kissing her.
Or maybe she was thinking about it.
With their thoughts mingling, there was no way to separate his desire from hers. It was one desire. One she found irresistible, but the intensity of the urge broke through her fascination. She jerked her attention away, looking at the backpack and forcing herself to focus on the very real threat his presence had placed her in.
“Yes, it is my fault, but I can’t truly apologize for surviving or wishing you hadn’t helped me.”
The link between them broke, leaving her prey to doubt and fear once more. She drew in a deep breath and tried to remind herself why she’d come to the cabin.
To live.
“Life is precious.”
She lifted the backpack and put it on. She had no idea what was in it but it was a trust-or-die situation.
“All right, lead on, Devon Ross.”
“You smack that gum like a kid.”
“Shut your trap, Clausan.” There were a few more smacks of gum chewing while he considered the body of Kappel.
“Who put you in charge, Burgos?” Clausan questioned.
“Dresner.” Burgos pulled a thin cell phone from his vest pocket and held it up. “Want to debate it with him?”
Clausan shook his head.
“Didn’t think so.”
Burgos took in the entire scene, looking like he was analyzing the angle of each shot.
“One man did this,” he announced.
Clausan looked at the bodies, trying to ascertain how Burgos had come to his conclusion.
Burgos crocked a finger at him. “Right here, the tracks are deeper. This man had Devon Ross on his shoulder.”
The man in question was lying facedown with a bullet in his chest.
“Devon pulled his gun when he went to set him down. By the time the rest of them realized their captive was armed, it was too late.”
“Kappel wasn’t easy to get the jump on.”
Burgos nodded. “He must have hesitated. My guess would be he had Devon in his crosshairs out of instinct but had to adjust because he’s our merchandise.”
“So now what?”
“That’s the interesting part.” Burgos hunched down to look at the boot marks in the dirt. “Devon Ross took off back toward the cabin he was found in. Not toward civilization.”
“What does that mean?”
Burgos straightened. “It means something drew him back there. Someone must have been taking care of him, otherwise he’d already be back in contact with his people.”
Clausan nodded. “It gives us a chance to bring him in.”
“And since the number of our team members has decreased, our share has gone up.”
The other two men waiting nearby grinned. They cradled their high-powered rifles confidently as they made
“I know this is not the optimal situation, but you have to trust me, Kalin. You need to come with me.”
Even fighting drowsiness, she still wanted to resist leaving. “To go where?”
She felt his frustration again before he shook his head. “North.”
“Why north?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know, but staying here makes us sitting ducks.”
“I guess I can’t argue with that.” She tipped the soda can up and drained it. The sugar and caffeine were beginning to be absorbed into her system. But she froze with her hands on the backpack. She was about to step past the point of no return. She heard his soft footsteps just a moment before he cupped her chin.
The contact was jarring. So hot, yet so comforting. A shiver raced down her back as their gazes locked. She felt him again, deep inside her mind. It was the purest form of intimacy, something she’d never realized she longed for. The sensation put her on edge, yet it also gave her a sense of security that was unmatched by any other experience in her life.
“I don’t know who I am, but I know what I am.” He stroked her cheek gently, soothingly. “I’ll get you out of here.”
Confidence rose off of him like a thick vapor. It was intoxicating, drawing her closer to him. He narrowed his eyes, flattening his hand on the side of her face.
He was thinking about kissing her.
Or maybe she was thinking about it.
With their thoughts mingling, there was no way to separate his desire from hers. It was one desire. One she found irresistible, but the intensity of the urge broke through her fascination. She jerked her attention away, looking at the backpack and forcing herself to focus on the very real threat his presence had placed her in.
“Yes, it is my fault, but I can’t truly apologize for surviving or wishing you hadn’t helped me.”
The link between them broke, leaving her prey to doubt and fear once more. She drew in a deep breath and tried to remind herself why she’d come to the cabin.
To live.
“Life is precious.”
She lifted the backpack and put it on. She had no idea what was in it but it was a trust-or-die situation.
“All right, lead on, Devon Ross.”
“You smack that gum like a kid.”
“Shut your trap, Clausan.” There were a few more smacks of gum chewing while he considered the body of Kappel.
“Who put you in charge, Burgos?” Clausan questioned.
“Dresner.” Burgos pulled a thin cell phone from his vest pocket and held it up. “Want to debate it with him?”
Clausan shook his head.
“Didn’t think so.”
Burgos took in the entire scene, looking like he was analyzing the angle of each shot.
“One man did this,” he announced.
Clausan looked at the bodies, trying to ascertain how Burgos had come to his conclusion.
Burgos crocked a finger at him. “Right here, the tracks are deeper. This man had Devon Ross on his shoulder.”
The man in question was lying facedown with a bullet in his chest.
“Devon pulled his gun when he went to set him down. By the time the rest of them realized their captive was armed, it was too late.”
“Kappel wasn’t easy to get the jump on.”
Burgos nodded. “He must have hesitated. My guess would be he had Devon in his crosshairs out of instinct but had to adjust because he’s our merchandise.”
“So now what?”
“That’s the interesting part.” Burgos hunched down to look at the boot marks in the dirt. “Devon Ross took off back toward the cabin he was found in. Not toward civilization.”
“What does that mean?”
Burgos straightened. “It means something drew him back there. Someone must have been taking care of him, otherwise he’d already be back in contact with his people.”
Clausan nodded. “It gives us a chance to bring him in.”
“And since the number of our team members has decreased, our share has gone up.”
The other two men waiting nearby grinned. They cradled their high-powered rifles confidently as they made
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